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The How To’s: Crafting Your Instagram Image

Instagram is rapidly increasing in popularity and is a must have social media platform for all small businesses and freelancers. There is no doubt that new and emerging brands find their success through this mobile app. You must therefore know how to successfully run an Instagram profile to it’s best ability. I am here to give you a good head start.

Photographs are the star of Instagram. Just as brands need to shape their online ‘voice’, they must also illustrate their visual identity. It is important to develop this early on and stick to it. Whether you are a freelancing fashion photographer or a brand selling a product/s, your followers will be inspired and excited by the lifestyle you portray. Don’t just photograph the model, but capture the surroundings. Create emotion through detail. If people believe in that ‘lifestyle’ you have created, then they will purchase that product, or they will hire your services. Please note that if there is an online image that goes well with the your micro-blog, then make sure to credit the artist.

Here are some statistics comparing different aesthetics of over 8 million photographs posted on Instagram:

The first thing new visitors will see when they come across your profile is how your collection of images work together. Plan posts with the ‘big picture’ in mind. A very beneficial practice for managing the layout is to put together an excel document with the grid marked out, to form a mock Instagram profile. This is time consuming, however will stop unnecessary deleting if two images don’t work together. You don’t want to be posting too many close ups with little background or negative space as your profile will look too crowed. You also don’t want it looking too empty and spacey. Another thing to consider is matching colour. If you have products that are pink, it will look pleasing in the grid view if other images included this colour and ones to compliment.

Below is an example of a successful Instagram site that thinks about their layout:

Photographs posted on Instagram can be accompanied by a caption if desired. This is highly recommended as it shows off a little more personality. Hashtags are also very helpful in reaching out to non-followers searching for images like yours. Here is a blog that looks at some of the best hashtags to help boost y0ur image likes: Instagram Hashtags For Bloggers That Will Triple Likes.

One thing to remember is to post what you love, and have fun with it!

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Please post a comment below with tips on how you successful run your Instagram, or ways to gain followers honestly.